


Lucky (I'm In Love With My Best Friend)

by haljordans



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-01
Updated: 2015-08-01
Packaged: 2018-04-12 10:18:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4475657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haljordans/pseuds/haljordans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>prompt: MY PARENTS WON’T GET OFF MY BACK ABOUT GETTING A SIGNIFICANT OTHER AND THEY’RE HAVING A GET-TOGETHER IN A FEW DAYS PLS PRETEND TO BE IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH ME. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT I’M HEAD OVER HEELS FOR YOU BUT IT SURE IS A NICE BONUS </p><p>In which Hal is desperately and completely in love with his best friend, and although he's usually smooth, he can't help but mess up around Barry, especially when he's his fake date.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> yes yes hal's parents are dead but let's pretend they're not
> 
> prompt credit: http://halbcrry.tumblr.com/post/125259760541/friendship-to-romance-tropes-i-cant-get-enough-of

“Barry Allen, you have to help me.” Barry widened his eyes as his best friend grabbed his shoulders and shook them desperately.

“Chill, you’re so dramatic, Hal. What’s the sitch?” Barry grinned. Hal didn’t usually visit him at work, so it was a pleasant surprise- they usually met at bars.

“This is not fucking Kim Possible, Bar, I have a real code red emergency here and your assistance is required!” Hal stepped back to explain. “My very disapproving parents are coming to Coast City to visit me for the first time in possibly years and-”

Barry sighed, hopping onto his messy desk. “I’m not going to clean your flat for you, Hal, that thing is disgusting. Smells like shit and looks even worse.”

“No, it’s not that! I already cleaned it myself, aren’t you proud of me?” Hal puffed out his chest.

“So proud.” Barry smirked. “Carry on, then, Mr. Responsible.”

“Weeeell,” the brunet wheedled, his face becoming slightly red, “They may or may not be under the conclusion that I am bringing a date to the family dinner we’re having at that new restaurant that just opened in The Boulevard, and I was hoping that you would play the part of my date.”

“Wait,” Barry said, “Does that mean your brothers will be there? As in, Jack the asshole and nice Jim and his scary wife Sue will be there? Because I really can’t listen to one of Jack’s ‘Hal is so damn irresponsible he should be more like me and Jim psh’ speeches or one of Sue’s conspiracy theories about how Jim is Green Lantern.”

“Sue won’t be there, thank God, but Jack will be. So yes or no?”

“Come on, Hal, I’m your best friend, not your boyfriend! Can’t you ask Carol? Carol-”

“Carol and I are no longer on speaking terms.” Hal said shortly. “She may have said some untrue things and I may have confessed something and she may have slapped me in the face and I called her an asshat. Please, Bar, you’re the only one of my friends that Mom and Dad have ever approved of.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Barry apologized, legs swinging as they hung off the side of his desk. “What about Oliver? I’ll do it, but I’m still curious.”

“Great! Okay, Oliver is definitely not a candidate because he and Jack will be terrible facial hair buddies and my parents will be like ‘How do you know billionaire Oliver Queen?’ and I’ll be like ‘Ha...not while fighting crime...’ and ‘We met in a bar’ is not a suitable excuse either because, well, you know my parents. So you’re my only other option and in their eyes you’re hella responsible and you work for the CCPD which Jack approves of and Jim just generally likes you. It’s at five thirty on Saturday night.” Hal rambled.

“It’s a date, then!” Barry agreed, and Hal’s face flushed. “Are you driving us-?”

“Yeah, sure, whatever. I’ve got to go, but-” Hal’s voice softened as he turned to look fondly at his blond best friend, “I’m, um, really glad you’re coming.”

Barry beamed. “No big deal! Anything for you, pal! I'm just glad that I've been living in Coast City for the case I'm working on.” He replied, completely and hopelessly oblivious.

“Great. Bye.” Hal said abruptly, leaving the room, sighing gratefully once Barry was out of sight.

____________________________________________________________________

 

Barry frantically dialled Hal’s number. “Hal, answer, please!” he whispered.

“Hey, this is Hal. Leave a message! And screw you Carol, leave me alone. Thanks!” the automatic message said, and Barry groaned.

“Hal. HAL. What do I wear? Is this a nice place? What will your family think? How do I answer questions about how we started dating? HAL.” Barry hung up after his frantic questions and sighed.

He was glad to help Hal, but his plan was not well thought out. Like all his plans, it was a time, date, and the rest was improvised. Of course, the creativity made fighting with him in the League interesting, but he was so damn reckless. (Which Barry found to be a very attractive trait. Also an obnoxious one, at times.)

There was a knock on the door of Barry’s CCPD funded apartment, and he looked through the peephole and saw Hal, standing with a broad grin and his arms spread wide. He did jazz hands as Barry opened the door.

“I got your voicemail, Bar! So I’m here. I thought it would be more realistic for us to drive, so I have my motorcycle and I can help you find something to wear.” Hal offered.

“Thanks.”

“And you need the fashion help, considering you find sweater vests stylish. At least you do them justice, but still.” Hal joked. “The joint is called West Coast Best Coast, and I’d say you should dress semi-casually, like me. It’s a pretty preppy looking place.”

Barry smiled, patting his grumbling stomach. “I’d much rather be going to Coast City Pizza. It’s the best in the west.”

“Okay, anyway, I’d say you’re already dressed for the occasion-” Hal said, and Barry blinked down at his dark jeans and the collar of his white button down poking out from his pale blue sweater. “But those jeans. No.”

“What’s wrong with my-”

Hal didn’t even allow Barry to finish his sentence. “Bar, they are horrendous! This is not 2005!  Please tell me you own a pair of skinny jeans.”

“Yeah, I do. They’re in the red plastic dresser, third drawer.” Barry instructed, stripping off his loose jeans. “Grab me the dark denim pair and throw it to me.”

“Aye aye, Captain!” Hal shouted from Barry’s bedroom, running back to throw the jeans in Barry’s face.

Barry pulled the tight blue jeans on over his boxers and smiled at Hal, who nodded appreciatively. “You helped me, now I get to help you.” Barry said, walking over the the brunet and shaking his head at Hal’s untucked navy button-down. He took the bottom of Hal’s shirt and tucked it into the waist of his jeans, stepping back to admire his handiwork.

“Okay, now let’s go.” Hal said, linking arms with his (fake) boyfriend and strolling out of the apartment.

"You sure are acting weird, Hal," Barry commented, not resisting Hal's touch. 

Hal froze, and then turned to face the blond, plastering on a smile. "What do you mean, weird?"

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was show time. That is to say, dinner time with the Jordans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to clarify, Barry is currently living in Coast City to work on a case involving a series of murders and help out the Coast City Police Department. (A motorcycle ride from Barry's Central City apartment to West Coast Best Coast would take like 27+ hours.)

"Oh, I don't know," Barry continued casually with an easy smile. "You're usually really chill, but you seem freaked out." He unwove his arm from Hal's to place a hand on his shoulder, stopping before the motorcycle. "Is it seeing your parents again? I know it was really hard for you to face your dad and Jack after you ran away when your mom got cancer, but at least she's alive. And NEC. And I get that Jack blames you for your dad's accident, but he's still alive too."

Hal sighed with relief. "Yeah, that's it. Thanks for understanding." 

"You're my best friend, of course I understand!" Barry exclaimed. Hal groaned internally; there he was again, playing the best friends forever card, unassuming of Hal's true feelings.

Hal waggled his eyebrows and his mocha eyes shone as he jabbed the soft fabric of Barry's sweater with his elbow. "Don't you mean your super hot, sexy, motherfucking  _boyfriend_?" 

"That too," Barry dipped his head in agreement, a blond tuft of hair falling into his face. 

"Your carriage awaits," Hal said, grabbing his extra helmet from the back of the motorcycle and handing it to Barry after putting his own midnight black one over his face. 

Barry stood still, confused. "How am I supposed to ride it?" 

"Put the helmet on and I'll show you, dipshit." Hal laughed, sitting down. "You sit behind me and put your feet on the sides. Come on, Bar, or we're going to be late."

Barry put the matching helmet on his head and climbed on tentatively, grabbing onto Hal's shoulders to balance himself as he adjusted his sitting style. His knees pressed against Hal's butt and his hands hung by his side, unsure of what to do with them, giving him the appearance of a gawky teenager. Close enough, considering he was twenty-two. 

"Not to like, totally come onto you or whatever, but you should really put your arms around my waist. Haven't you ever seen a couple riding a motorcycle?" said Hal as he started the engine. "Not that we're a couple- an official one, at least. But when there are two people, they do the do like that...FUCK,  I mean-" He was pleasantly surprised as he felt two soft, warm arms covered in fluffy blue fabric wrap around his waist. 

They zipped out of the apartment's parking lot, and Barry shouted, his words just barely understandable over the engine, "I get it, you're flustered. Don't be! Though it's kind of cute, _boyfriend._ "

"You're kind of cute,  _boyfriend_ ," Hal shot back with ease. 

"So are you,  _boyfriend_. Actually, you know what? Nah. I'm dumping you for Oliver." Barry teased. 

Hal snorted. "I didn't know you had a thing for blondes with goatees that make them look like homeless people."

"I'm with him for the money, obviously. And the abs. The salmon ladder doesn't leave him without reward." 

"And I'm with you for the leverage over your fellow cops for when I do stupid things and get arrested." 

"Whatever, asshole. Are we there yet?"

Hal resisted the urge to stop the vehicle and slap Barry, but instead he took the sharp turn that he needed to take to get to The Boulevard, and yelled over the screeching tires, "Goddamnit, we're almost there!" 

"Great. Now can you turn the radio on or something? It's too quiet without your obnoxious shit-talking," Barry grinned, the corners of his crystalline blue eyes crinkling.

"Sure, doucheypants." Hal pressed a few buttons until he landed on his favorite adult hits station. And it was playing Let's Marvin Gaye and Get It On. The modern version of an extremely romantic classic. He half expected Barry to ask him to change the station, but instead, Hal faintly hears Barry crooning along. 

"We're here!" Hal announced as he stopped at what he knew to be the last red light of the way to the restaurant. 

Barry stopped singing, his voice growing excited. "Really?! Oh, damn it, no...fuck you, Harold."

"Fuck  _you_ , Bartholomew." 

"Yes, do fuck me, now that you've suggested it. It would be a great way to disgrace yourself in front of your family. We could do it right on top of the table in front of them." the blond suggested, laughing. 

"Mmm, I like it. Who's gonna top, you or me? Okay, now we're actually almost here." Hal pointed at a big sign reading The Boulevard Shopping District as they passed. 

Hal parked the vehicle out front of West Coast Best Coast and took Barry's helmet and put it back with his, linking arms with Barry yet again as they entered the building. "Ready to sell it?" 

"As I'll ever be-" Barry glanced at Hal's midriff and laughed. "Your shirt's covered in sweater fuzz, sorry!"

"Shit!" Hal exclaimed as Barry walked up to the hostess, examining the building. There was a marlin on the white back wall, and tables had both marlin and surf themed centerpieces. Above their heads hung a luminescent pearl chandelier. "We're with the Jordans, table of six?" 

"Of course. Follow me," the ginger hostess smiled, leading them to the table, which had a napkin holder designed as a wave with a little bobbly surfer riding it. 

Barry nodded, and as they approached the table, he took off his sweater and gave it to Hal, who was still complaining about his fuzzy shirt. "Put it on and no one will notice." 

"Aww, thanks  _honey_ ," Hal replied as he pulled the sweater over his head.

"Anytime!" Barry exclaimed, loud enough for the Jordans to hear. "If I freeze I'm murdering you later." he whispered.

Hal nodded, concealing glee has he whispered back, "Got it...Captain Cold,"

"How sweet!" Mrs. Jordan cooed as she spotted the sweater exchange. "Harold, dear, we're arranged our seating so that you and your date can sit next to each other."

"Thanks, Ma," Hal replied, interrupted by a sharp gasp and a scream of "My GOD, Harold, is that Barry Allen?"

Hal nodded slowly. "Yes, Ma. Barry Allen is my date."

"This is great! I knew you'd find someone responsible like him! I'm so happy for you, Barry, do sit down." Mrs. Jordan continued happily. 

"Congratulations," Jim agreed as Barry sat down next to him. 

"Indeed," Mr. Jordan spoke up, unlike his usual silent self.

Hal widened his chestnut eyes in horror at the seating arangement, an inferno burning inside as he glared at Barry and slowly sat down in between him and Jack, who lifted his wine glass to the ceiling, Ron Swanson style mustache twitching as he began to speak. 

"Cheers to this occasion in which Hal took it opon himself to come out." Jack said coldly, "And make it all about him, per usual. I mean really, Hal, you've never shown any interest in guys before, and now you show up to our first family get-together in years to get attention for your sexuality? I thought you were bringing Carol."

"What the fuck, Jack? How am I trying to get attention? Ma said I could bring a date, and I chose Barry because I love him! It's not my fault that you're still single, or that you have terrible facial hair." Hal snapped. 

Mr. Jordan growled but stayed otherwise quiet, watching intently, and Barry clenched his fists underneath the table, giving Mrs. Jordan a reassuring smile.

"Stop it, Jack..." Jim warned softly. 

"Stay out of it! Look, I don't care if you're gay, or whatever, Hal, but I'm still not over the fact that you just  _left_ when Ma got cancer. Just like you left when Dad was in the crash. We're lucky they're both still alive, though I doubt you care."

Mrs. Jordan fidgeted in her seat, and Mr. Jordan nodded in slight agreement, Jim looking away awkwardly to avoid the chaos.

Barry slammed his balled-up fist on the mahogany table and his cerulean eyes seemed almost electrified. "What the hell is wrong with all of you? This was supposed to be a family dinner, and two minutes in, there's a catfight? We're leaving, Hal. I want McDonald's." 

Hal managed a smile and took Barry's hand, the couple storming out to the motorcycle without looking back. 

**Author's Note:**

> more to come!


End file.
